


Assistance

by AloisJaeger



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Writing & Publishing, Aspiring editor Armin, Background Relationships, Cheating, Editor in Chief Erwin, M/M, Mechanic Eren, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Ships to be added - Freeform, Writer Levi, personal assistant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 05:07:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30033522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AloisJaeger/pseuds/AloisJaeger
Summary: Armin Arlert has studied for years to reach his dream of becoming an editor at a major publishing company. Unfortunately for him, jobs are scarce and he is stuck working a terrible customer service job to keep himself afloat. Of course, he can hardly say no when he is presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to get his foot in the door to the publishing world by working as a personal assistant to Editor-in-Chief and publishing partner, Erwin Smith.Little did he know that Mr Smith would take a little too much of a liking to him. Which wouldn't be a problem, if it weren't for the major issue of him having a wife.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Erwin Smith, Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Petra Ral/Erwin Smith
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Assistance

“I can’t believe you slaved away for years getting all those degrees and now you’re searching for a job at Barnes and Noble.” Eren was splayed out on their couch, shirtless and eating from a bowl of popcorn. Armin was sitting down by his roommate and long-time friend’s feet, legs criss-crossed and his laptop resting on them.

Eren was right enough, Armin had a bachelor’s and a master’s degree but the glaring lack of job offers coming his way had left him faced with the reality that maybe he would NEVER work in publishing like he had wanted. Despite his degrees, extra curriculars, accomplishments and internship he was left with no success. He was sure that the publishing house he had interned with would hire him, but they had unexpectedly gone into liquidation two months before his graduation. Since then, he had been applying to every position he possibly could but had been unable to even secure an interview.

He was lucky that he wasn’t bogged down by student loans, thanks to his inheritance. However, he refused to touch any more of that money to pay for his basic living expenses and he was quickly tearing through his summer savings. He had to get a job SOMEWHERE and he had no problem working in retail until he could secure something more stable.

Armin hummed in response to Eren but didn’t look away from his computer screen as he typed his details into the job application portal. “Well, if you want to keep your amazing roommate right here with you then I’m going to have to get this job at Barnes and Noble.”

“Argh,” Eren groaned and pegged a piece of popcorn at Armin. “You can just do so much better, Min. You’re literally the smartest person I know.”

Armin ignored the popcorn that hit him in the side of the head and fell to the couch, “Your sister is a biochemist, Eren. I am definitely not the smartest person you know.”

“Whatever, my point still stands.” Armin could see in his peripheral vision as Eren picked up his phone and smiled down at the screen. He quickly typed out a message and hit send. “Besides, you know I could probably get you a job in 5 seconds, right? Levi is a writer.”

Armin clenched his teeth and shook his head, “I am NOT letting this new weirdo you’re screwing to put in a word for me. I don’t want to be working for some fetish magazine or whatever bizarre company your Grindr match works for.”

Eren kicked him just hard enough that Armin had to grab at his laptop so it wouldn’t go toppling to the floor. “Well, for starters, don’t kink shame. Secondly, Levi and I met on Plenty of Fish, not Grindr. And, finally, he’s actually mega sophisticated. I’m telling you, this guy is not a loser like I usually go for. He has a real job and he drives a nice car and I think he might actually be serious about me.”

Armin finally looked over at Eren and smiled at the satisfied expression he had on his face. Armin had long disapproved of the typical type of guy Eren chased after and he always thought that he deserved better. He was glad that Eren seemed to have found someone more to the calibre of what Armin would pick for him. Still, he would have to meet this guy before he knew for sure whether he was going to be right for Eren or if he had the usual douche personality. “I’m happy you’re happy. Really though, I want to get a job on my own terms. The right thing will come along soon, I’m sure of it.”

-_-

Two months later, Armin was pushing open the door to their apartment, smelling of coffee and exhausted from working a double shift. He had managed to get a job at a gorgeous coffee shop a short walk away but it was tedious work. There were a few jerk customers who were regulars and he didn’t find the work to be mentally stimulating at all.

Worst of all was this one absolute pervert of a customer who insisted on coming in for long periods of time every day. Armin was the one to serve the customer and bring the food and drink to the man’s table, considering he did want the guy to make any more moves on the girls who were working that morning. Unlucky for Armin was the fact that the customer didn’t seem to get the memo that Armin himself WASN’T a girl. Sure enough, the man had flirted with him relentlessly and groped Armin when he went to clear the dirty dishes from the table. To end that morning with his co-worker not coming in for the closing shift and Armin needing to stay back and do it himself, he had quite the day and was looking forward to having a shower and watching a movie in bed.

Of course, he received quite the shock when he opened the door to find a man he had never seen before, casually sitting at his dining table. “Um…hello?” He asked, one hand on his keys, ready to mace this guy if it didn’t turn out to be someone Eren had invited over.

“Oh, Armin!” He heard Eren call, the taller boy sticking his head out from the kitchen to give a wave. “Don’t worry, this is Levi, my boyfriend.”

Armin sat down at the doorway to unlace his sneakers and place them on the shoe rack, “so, I take it you’re finally official?”

“Yep!” Eren wrapped his arms around his grumpy looking boyfriend’s shoulders from behind. Armin noticed how well-dressed Levi was in his black slacks and white button-down shirt. He looked like he probably had a suit jacket and tie on earlier but they were taken off. Eren said Levi had a great writing job and the man certainly looked the part. He seemed entirely out of place in their apartment which erred on the side of being dingy.

Armin stood up when his shoes were off, giving his thighs a slap and putting on his customer service smile for Levi out of habit. “I’m Armin, it’s really nice to finally meet you. I’ve known Eren since we were six, so if you’re ever in need of an embarrassing story about him, you know who to ask.”

“Noted. Though the brat does plenty to embarrass himself on the regular even now.” Levi responded, tilting his head back to look up at Eren. Armin took note of the look Levi gave his best friend, how much affection was in his eyes. He was satisfied by what he saw, Levi clearly just as smitten with Eren as Eren was him.

“You’ll have to come over again sometime soon, Levi. I want to give you the shovel talk, ask you a million questions – all that fun stuff. But I am totally beat today, so unfortunately you’ll have to excuse me.”

“About that,” Levi said. Armin stopped and looked at him, hoping the delay was for good reason. It was then that Levi picked up a folder from the table and Armin’s eyes went wide. It was his portfolio? “Eren gave me this to look at. What the hell are you doing? Wasting your time working for some shitty coffee shop.”

Armin gave Eren the deadliest glare he could muster, Armin had told him a million times that he wasn’t comfortable calling in a favour from Levi. He could get a job on his own. He had got this far without a single connection and he was going to go the rest of his life that way. “I’ve been applying everywhere. I suppose I’m just not the right fit for any publishing houses right now.”

“Your writing is seriously good but you’re never going to get a job as a columnist or an editor right out of the gate. You’ve got to start in the boonies and work your way up.” Levi let the portfolio fall to the table again with a gentle slap. “Eren said you’d be pissed if I offered, but I’m going to do it anyway. I write for Pixis, Zackley & Smith publishing. One of the partners, Erwin Smith, needs a new assistant. His current assistant is going on maternity leave in three weeks and we haven’t found anyone who can replace her who has enough of a brain to do the job properly. Sure, it’s only a temp position and it’s shit work but it’s a foot in the door.”

“I don’t know…” Armin started, unsure. He REALLY wanted to say no, but he was also desperate. He hated his café job more and more every day, the pay was terrible and his brain was so bored from the work that it was painful. Besides, it wasn’t like he was being offered a position as a writer. He would only be a lacky. If he wanted to be taken on as an editor – his dream job at the BEST publishing house in the country, no less – he would still have to pull his own weight. It was a good of a compromise as any, he supposed.

“Just sleep on it. I’ll get Eren to give you a number and you can call me when you make a decision. I think you’d be a good fit though. Erwin is a fucking hard ass and you’ve got to be switched on to do that job well, so don’t think this is going to be some mind-numbing entry level position. You’ve got to be up for the challenge.” Levi crossed his arms over his chest, giving Armin a stern look.

He felt his own pride swell with the challenge. There was nothing he loved more than doing the tough work and still managing to blow people away. He gave Levi a smile, a genuine one this time. “Fine. You’ve got yourself a new assistant. Don’t be surprised when I take your job next, though.”

Levi looked amused, “Tch. Unlikely, brat, but I like your enthusiasm. Now go look after yourself, you smell like burnt coffee grinds and minimum wage.”

Armin laughed and turned his eyes to Eren, giving him a look that said ‘I’m still mad at you. Maybe your boyfriend isn’t so bad though.’

What had started out as a certifiably terrible day that left him wanting to go home and watch the Twilight Saga and wallow in despair ended with him being invigorated by the prospect of a new career. All in all, things could certainly be worse.

He just hoped his new boss wouldn’t be too impossible.


End file.
